PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – Alex Cobb rebounded from a rough outing to pitch three overpowering innings, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 Saturday.
Cobb, who struggled to get through two innings against Boston on Monday, allowed just one hit and struck out five on 36 pitches.
Nearly as good, Wei-Yin Chen gave up two hits in two innings in his spring training debut for Baltimore. Chen, who was 12-10 as the Orioles No. 2 starter last year, his first in the major leagues, needed only 23 pitches.
Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz yielded consecutive homers to Rays shortstop Yunel Escobar, a two-run shot, and second baseman Ryan Roberts.
Rays closer Fernando Rodney kept his perfect spring alive after pitching a hitless third. He struck out one.
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